Saudi Arabia takes over G20 presidency

Saudi Arabia has taken over the G20 presidency on December 1, ahead of the G20 Leaders’ summit next year, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) has reported.

Saudi Arabia appreciated the work of the Japanese G20 presidency in 2019.

Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince said: “The Saudi G20 presidency is committed to continuing the work from Osaka and promoting multilateral consensus.”

“Working with our G20 partners, we will strive to deliver concrete actions and realize opportunities to enable us to face the challenges of the future.”

The kingdom will focus on three main aims: empowering people, safeguarding the planet, and shaping new frontiers, the statement said.

In the lead-up to the Leaders’ summit, the kingdom will host over 100 events and conferences, including ministerial meetings and meetings of officials and representatives from civil society, the statement added.

Saudi Arabia will host the G20 Leaders’ summit on November 21 and 22, 2020, in its capital Riyadh.

​​​​​​​​​​​Read: Saudi to host G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2020

The G20 is a forum for international economic cooperation, convening leaders of developed and developing countries. Collectively, G20 members constitute around 80 per cent of the world’s economic output, two-thirds of the world’s population and three-quarters of international trade, according to the G20 website.